Main Wigan road to be shut for two days

A main Wigan route is to be closed for a weekend while work on the town's new link road continues.

Wigan Council is informing drivers, bus users and locals that a section of Poolstock Lane will be shut from its junction with Holt Street to its junction with Holborn Avenue between midnight Saturday September 21 to 11.59pm the following day while contractors remove parts from a bridge construction.

The bridge was built as part of preparations to deliver the A49 link road, which will connect Goose Green to Westwood Park and the town centre.

The new road is part of a wider plan for investment in the borough’s road network and aimed at generating economic growth and improving infrastructure.

The council says that once complete, it will also reduce the amount of through-traffic along Poolstock and will improve air quality.

A signed diversion will be put in place as contractors from the engineering firm Jones Bros remove the parapet formwork from the bridge but residents and local businesses will still have access to their properties over the weekend.

The emergency services will also have access should they be required to attend the Poolstock area.

Mark Tilley, assistant director for infrastructure at the local authority, said: “I understand this may cause some inconvenience to residents, and we will be making sure disruption is kept to a minimum.

“After consulting with Jones Bros, we concluded that a closure was the only option as we must put public safety first at all times.

“Once the A49 link road is complete then businesses and residents will hugely benefit from better east-west connectivity in the borough, which is a vital part of the borough’s economic growth strategy.

“We would like to thank local residents and businesses in advance of the closure for their cooperation.”